1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an image processing system, an image processing apparatus, and an image processing program product, and particularly, to an image processing system, an image processing apparatus, and an image processing program product allowing desired processing to be executed with easy operations.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, image processing apparatuses, which have multiple functions and which are referred to as MFP (Multi Function Peripherals), have a plurality of basic functions such as a print function, a copy function, a facsimile function, and a scan function. For each basic function, further advanced functions can be selected. For example, for the print function, a box print function, a confidential print function, a check print function and the like can be selected. For the scan function, a file format conversion function, Scan To SMB function and the like can be selected. For the facsimile function, a broadcast function, a polling function and the like can be selected.
In such a general MFP, the basic and advanced functions are installed as applications on the MFP with shipment, and thus they can be used.
However, with sophistication of the recent network technique, an application file for realizing such functions, even of a large capacity, can be downloaded through a network. Accordingly, in common application usage, an application not installed with shipment is downloaded and obtained through a network to be installed on the main body at a later date as necessary.
Another usage of an application being proposed is to store an application file, to which image processing is performed, in other apparatus such as a server, transfer an image input to MFP to the other apparatus and perform the image processing using the application, and transfer the image back to MFP to be output. An image processing apparatus using an application stored in another apparatus is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-46700. In the image formation apparatus proposed therein, image information being read is PDF-converted and transmitted to a designated personal computer, and an image display application is activated on the personal computer to display the image information.
However, when selecting or using a function (application) stored in another apparatus as described above, it is necessary to open a dedicated window or to conduct a special operation setting for connecting to that another apparatus. Thus, there is a problem that the operation is difficult with a conventional image processing apparatus which is configured to allow selection of functions to be used among the functions determined in accordance with basic functions being installed.
Additionally, there is a problem that the operability of an operation panel of a conventional image processing apparatus with such a configuration is poor.